Comparative Nutrition Commons^™

Sheep Updates 2007 - Part 5, Bindi Murray, John Karlsson, Johan Greeff, Carolina Viñoles Gil, B. L. Paganoni, K. M. M. Glover, J. T. B. Milton, G. B. Martin, Hugh Dove, Bill Mckiernan, John Wilkins, Paul Greenwood, Linda Cafe

Sheep Updates

This session covers six papers from different authors:

GENETIC IMPROVEMENT

1. Breech Strike Resistance: Selecting for resistance traits reduces breech strike, Bindi Murray, John Karlsson, Johan Greeff, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia

2. Breeding Merino Sheep for Worm Resistance increases profit in a Mediterranean Environment, John Karlsson and Johan Greeff Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia

FEEDING

3. Embryo lasses were not increased when Merino ewes that had lost weight were supplemented with lupins, C. Viñoles Gil, B.L. Paganoni, K.M.M. Glover, J.T.B. Milton & G.B. Martin, School of Animal Biology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, …

Grain Finishing Of Beef Cattle Grazing Dry Pasture Or Stubble, D J. Barker

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

WHEAT quotas, poor wool prices and the availability of cheap grain on the farm have stimulated interest in grain finishing of cattle for out-of-season beef production. For many years, Animals turned off in the autumn-winter period have brought better prices than those sold in summer, at the end of the pasture flush.

Feeding grain supplements to cattle on dry pasture or stubble requires less capital than feedlotting and saves the cost of handling and processing roughage.

This article gives the essentials for grain supplementation of dry pasture or stubble but warns that grain finishing is unlikely to be profitable outside …

Feedlots For Beef In W.A. : Some Guiding Principles, D J. Barker

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

FEEDLOTS are small enclosures where all of the animal's feed is supplied from an outside source. Compared with grazing, feedlotting is an expensive method of beef production.

This article gives a guide to the requirements for establishment and management of a farm feedlot, especially the basic equipment and materials, the type of cattle most suited to feedlotting, rations and feeding techniques.

The author warns that skill and experience are needed to run a feedlot and describes feedlotting as an expensive method of beef raising when compared with grazing.

Further details are available from the author

When Is A Cattle Feedlot Profitable?, J T. Stoate

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE current surge of interest in feedlots stems from low coarse grain prices and comparatively low early summer baby beef prices. Cattle raisers sense the opportunity for higher prices by holding the cattle on the farm over summer and autumn, and grain producers see better returns from barley and oats fed to cattle than sold as grain.

This article examines the profitability of cattle feedlots and presents sample budgets for two typical situations—the farmer who produces his own cattle but buys grain, and the cereal grower who produces grain but buys in cattle for finishing in a feedlot.

A ready …

Dairy Beef Shows Healthy Profits, D J. Barker

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The October, 1970, issue of the Journal of Agriculture included results from the first year of a dairy beef production trial at Bramley Research Station.

This report presents results from the trial's second year, during which two levels of pasture utilisation were tested. The trial is now in its third year.

Three Beef Raising Systems For Butterfat Producing Properties, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THREE-QUARTERS of the calves born in autumn on butterfat farms are not required as milking replacements and are thus available for beef production or immediate sale, at about $20 a head.

The profit from selling beef must be compared with that from selling excess calves off their mothers.

Such a comparison is being made by Department of Agriculture Beef Research Officer D. J. Barker in a series of trials at Bramley Research Station, Margaret River.

Feeding Urea To Cattle, D J. Barker

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

RUMINANTS normally obtain the protein they require by digestion of the organisms that inhabit the forestomach (rumen), not by direct digestion of the dietary protein they chew up and swallow.

The organisms break down the dietary protein and then rebuild proteins in the form of more organisms.

Higher Stocking Rates For Cattle On Irrigated Pasture : A Report From Wokalup Research Station, Maurice C. Cullity

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The possibility that higher cattle stocking rates than those commonly used could be economical was suggested by the results of a stocking rate trial at Wokalup Research Station

Survival Feeding Of Cattle During Drought, D J. Barker, J. T. Stoate

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

TO obtain adequate returns from the grazing of developed land, which has involved considerable capital investment, farmers may carry stock at rates which, though normally satisfactory, are too high in exceptionally poor seasons.

A look at some slternatives and their costs to maintaine the herd in drought.

Winter Beef Production Trial : Wongan Hills Research Station, D J. Barker, H. G. Cariss

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

IN 14-inch rainfall districts most rainfall occurs between May and October. It is d i f f i cult to keep beef animals fattening on summer dry pastures but such areas do have a ready supply of locally grown cereals.

Using these materials as the basis of a supplement it is possible to market prime baby-beef by June-July.

The higher prices obtained for this "winter" beef more than offset the cost of supplementary feed.

Beef Production In A 14 Inch Rainfall District, D J. Barker, H. G. Cariss

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Progress report on a farm scale beef-raising investigation at the Department of Agriculture's Wongan Hills Research Station.

A SMALL herd of beef cattle was established at Wongan Hills Research Station in 1964 and the first crop of calves was dropped in the autumn of 1965. The calves' growth rates were recorded and they were marketed as 18-month-old steer beef in November, 1966.

Cattle Stocking Rates In A Higher Rainfall Area, R Sprivulis

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE 1965 Pardelup cattle stocking rate trial was conducted with Hereford cross yearling steers on annual pasture of Mt. Barker sub. clover, Wirnmera ryegrass and various volunteer annual species.

This was topdressed with 186 lb. of superphosphate per acre in mid March.

The First Year Of A Cattle Stocking Rate Trial At Pardelup, R Sprivulis

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

AS a first step towards the study of pasture utilisation by cattle, a simple trial was commenced at the Pardelup Prison Farm in 1964.

The trial is carried out with Poll Hereford cross steers set stocked on Mt. Barker subterranean-clover and Wimmera ryegrass pasture.

It will be repeated for several seasons.

Lot Feeding Of Beef Cattle. 4. Cattle For Feed Lots, W J O Wilkie

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

BREED, age, condition, health, temperament and sex are all important in feed lot cattle.

Lot Feeding Of Beef Cattle. 2. Some Cost Factors, W J O Wilkie

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

BECAUSE of the difficulties that have been experienced in making lot feeding pay, it is essential to examine cost factors in some detail.

Range Feeding Of Cotton By-Products In The Kimberleys, John Hubert Auty

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Commercial cotton production has started in the Ord River area and by-products of the industry will soon be available for stock feeding in the surrounding pastoral areas.

Cotton seed and cotton seed meal will cause digestive upsets if fed in any quantity to horses, poultry or pigs.

Ruminants have no trouble in handling the material and the Kununurra ginnery could supply a useful protein supplement for Kimberley cattle.

Urea For Sheep And Cattle On Dry Feed, Laurence C. Snook

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Urea can be a valuable supplement for ruminants which have to depend on dry feed low in protein.

It is not a substitute for good quality conserved fodder.

Urea is extremely poisonous if eaten in excess and great care must be taken when feeding it to stock.

There are a variety of ways in which urea can be fed and these are outlined in this article.

The Department of Agriculture's Animal Nutrition Laboratory is now carrying out trials to determine the most convenient and safest method.

Urea is most effective as a fertiliser; when used in this way it results …

Beef Growth Rate Studies : Wokalup Research Station, Maurice C. Cullity

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Comparison of Growth Rates on Irrigated and Unirrigated Pastures of Two Year Old and Yearling Beef Dairy Crosses and of Yearling Jersey Steers.